Resilient hub for wheels.



A. E. J. SMITH.

RESILIENT FOR WHEELS.

APPLIOATIO ED APR. 3, 1 907.

920,404, Patented May 4, 1909.

lJNliTED STATES JilQBER'l EDWARD JOHN SMITH, OF BATTERSEA, LONDON, ENGLAND.

RESILIENT HUB FOR WEELS.

l lo. 920,4t04t.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 4, 1909.

Application filed April 8, 1907. Serial No. 366,182.

Tb alt whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, ALBERT Enwan Jenn SMITH, residing at 157 Bridge road, Battersea, London, S. W., England, rave invented certain new and useful Improvements in liesilicnt l-lubs for i l "heels and l do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to a new or improved resilient hub for the wheels oi motor and other road vehicles, the object being to provide a hub of this class of comparatively simple construction, wherein the shocks due to the vehicles passing over inequalities of the road are absorbed by flexible cushions in an improved manner so that the give and return or" the cushions is unaccompanied by any jar, and a positive, although at the same time flexible, drive is obtained; furthermore, means is provided whereby internal friction in this hub is reduced to a minimum. In specifying my invention, however, I wish it to be clearly understood that l am aware of the nevious employment of a ring or rim carrying a pneumatic cushion, the said ring being free to rotate around the axle sleeve of the wheel, with flanges carried by the said sleeve between which the said ring or rim is arranged, but this form of construction has been found unsatisfactory in practice and my invention has been designed to overcome the detects hitherto experienced, by constructing the device as hereinafter set forth.

In order that this invention may be fully understood it will now be described with relerence to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a side elevation 01 a device constructed according to this invention, having a side plate removed and the inner plate hereinafter referred to, broken partly away, for clearness, llig. 2 is a transverse section of the complete device taken as on line m: (Fig. 1.).

In carrying this invention into practical effect, two plates a, a are mounted upon a tubular sleeve Z) running upon the wheel axle in the usual manner, these plates being rctained parallel and a suitable distance apart by a convenient number of distance pieces or spindles 0 arranged circumferentially. The plate a is suitably secured. to a flange on the tubular sleeve 6. Upon the said tubular sleeve 6, between the two plates a, a is mounted a cushion d oi rubber suitably b orcd or perforated as at (Z to impart the necessary resiliency and upon the surface of this cushion cZ bears the internal surface of a hollow drum 6 also mounted between the plates a, a their distance pieces or spindle a passing through chambers 6 formed in the material of the said drum 6 and each carrying a small rubber cushion f of approximately barrel shape the largest diameter of which fits within its respective chamber which is eX- tended in both directions radially to allow of the expansion of the cushion f as hereinafter described and the chambers c open completely to the center of the drum as shown so that a series of comparatively small bearing surfaces is presented to the central cushion d which has the effect of improving its resiliency and permitting greater expansion or distortion. The drum e forms a spoke-"mg or support for the wheel spokes, and the bearing surfaces or projections p which bear on the annular cushion or buil'er have passages 2) between them into which the cushion or butter can expand and which communicate with the chambers c and which are arranged radially.

The Wheel is built up upon the drum 6 the extremities of the spokes entering recesses 0 formed in the periphery thereof, and has the drive imparted from the hub, through the plates (0, c and the small rubber cushions f contained within the chambers c of the drum c, and these bullersf although imparting a positive drive are so formed that they give sui'iiciently to prevent shock while upon inequalities in the road being negotiated the central rubber cushion a is depressed by the drum and absorbs the shock, the small cushions f also assisting in this respect. As shown it is preferred to arrange the cushions f in alternate recesses c and if desired the remaining recesses may be occupied by spare burlers ready for use in case oi need. It is preferable in all cases to provide builers or cushions d and f with liners (P, f respectively in order to reduce wear to a minimum and facilitate removal and replacement of the cushion upon the sleeve Z) and spindles c.

In order that friction may be minimized a ball race may be provided between each side of the drum c and its respective side plate, and as shown pockets or recesses 9 pass completely through the said drum each containing a spring 9 in compression at each extremity of which is arranged a ball and these balls g are thus forced outward against restraining plates 72/ provided with holes or perforations 7L through which the balls protrude su'fliciently to bear against the side plates a, 0 upon which they run, and the platese, e are provided with annular channels or grooves a which serve as ball races which are of suflicient width to allow of the necessary rolling motion of the ball.

Having. now-described my invention what Iclaim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is In a wheel-hub, the combination, with an axle-tube, and two side-plates; of a series of driving-spindles secured between the said side-plates, elastic cushions transmitting the driving pressure and encircling the said spin- (lles, an annular elastic buffer encircling the radial passages which extend on each side of 5 the said cushions in the said chambers and between the said projections, for the said cushions and annular butler to expand into when compressed.

In testimony whereof I ailiX my signature,

in presence of two witnesses.

ALBERT EDWARD JOHN Silllliii l Vitnesses:

GODFREY B. SHEPHERD, H. D. JAMESON. 

